The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-11-03
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
BREEDING AND CARE OF CATTLE.

people at home would use the money spent in
the purchase of foreign breeding animals, in
constructing quarters for our native cattle
equal to the housing quarters in Europe; il
they would give the native cattle the same
care they gave their high priced foreign cattle,
that within four generations of careful breed
ing, always selecting the best bulls and the best
cows and keeping the others thinned out by
the butchers the United States would have a
native breed that would rival any cattle in the
world"
A declaration of that kind may be somewhat
against the interest of breeders of fancy stock
farm importations, but nevertheless contains
very much sound common sense. The value
and usefulness of any animal depends upon the
care and attention which it receives, and in
order TO secure natural good qualities, care
must be exercised in breeding. In the case of
fine-blooded animals very great attention is
shown to every condition that is necessary to
produce desirable animal. This is believed to
be necessity in the case of blooded animal,
but would not be thought Of in case of native.
If farmers who possess only native animals
would practice careful selection in the cows
and bulls used for breeding purposes, and will
do as well by them and their progeny as they
would if it came from some high priced import
ed animals, they would be surprised at the re-
suit. The fact that much can be accomplished
has been demonstrated in the effect of better
feeding and attention, which has become nee
essary TO secure the best results in dairy ami
mails. In raising cattle the rule of the sur
vival of the fttest" should be rigidly enforced.
-GermdRtor1l Teleqrdph.
wIDE-TIRED WAGON WHEELS
IL is for the interest of every farmer to save
in every direction that he can-in the strength
of his animals as well as Ia the harvest of his
crops In the use of wagons for the transport
tation of heavy loads, especially il the soil is
very soft, it is very noticeable TO what extent
a narrow-tired wheel will cut into the soil, with
an effect upon the draft very similar 10 block
ing the wheel. IL any farmer has doubts re-
garding this effect, let him try to push loaded
wheclbarrow with narrow tire upon a good fur
row soil, and then suddenly change to one that
is soft and yielding. The effect is very marked.
and the same, only in degree, in case of loaded
teams. In either case tho effect can be remedied
by a change TO a wide-tired wheel Such a
change is not only of advantage to the animals
hauling the load, but also to the road or field
over which the load is TO be hauled. All roads
would be very much less rutted if wide-tired
ing; and upon the farm, how much better to
use a wheel having a tire sufficiently broad to
avoid cutting deep rut rather than narrow
tired wheel that under heavy load sinks
several inches into thb soil and upon turf land
forming disagreeable rut. The additional ex-
pense for wide-tired wheels is many times COM
pensated for in the saving Of wear to animals,
and also TO carts.
CUTTING UP CORN.
In cutting up corn, unless the husking is to
be done in the field, when it matters little how
large the stocks are, dhe stocks should be no
larger than eau be lifted easily by two men
with forks. Unless corn is very ripe when it is
cut up, placing 10 large, closely packed stocks
will cause hindrance to Its properly ripening
If II does not cause an actual injury. We have
seen corn cut while the stalks were yet quite
green, that If packed in too large stocks caused
the tips of the ears to grow moldy. But if the
stocks are made of only Taederate SIZE contain
ing from 10 10 p hills, set bracing so as to ad-
NIT the air, there is little trouble from moldy
corn, unless the weather is decidedly unlavor-
able. We cannot say that we are especially
favorable TO tho use of the horse in cutting
up, because in case of wind there is much
danger OF the stocks blowing over. Even this
frequently occurs when the corn is set about
hill. more reliable method is to draw in two
hills from two different rows and set around
them; in that way there is greater security
against being blown down By the wind.
MOTIFS.
The dust-bath 10 the fowl is what the
wash-bowl is 10 the individual When hen
is incubating she comes OF rs regularly TO dust
herself as she does 10 feed, instinct teaching
her that it is the best method to free herself of
lice.
A days work with q sharp Ratchet saw
some half-inch siding and a few pounds of nails
of different sizes will accomplish very much
in the way Of making the stables of the stock
comfortable. If boards are scarce, use tea box
mattings, TO be had at the grocery store also,
straw, old hay and cedar bOughs-anything
that will serve the purpose of keeping the stock
from suffering.
The best Winter mulch for cranberries.
aud the only one which thus far has been at
tended with satisfactory results, is water. A
wet soil IS the most natural for this fruit
though even wild plants are occasionally found
upon high and dry soils. Upland cultivation
of cranberries has been often attempted, but
never with equal success financially as that
upon low lands. Flooding the land in Winter
is almost indispensable for the best results
Procure new crop turnip seed and have
the ground fine. The rows may DO wide apart
so as 10 allow of working with the eultiyator.
The ground should be as fine as an ash heap
Drop the seed in small clusters. about six inches
apart IN the rows, as the insects will often de-
stroy young turnips If too thick when I'D,
they can DO thinned out Too much fine, we'll
rotted manure cannot be used ON turnips Do
not put turnips on ground occupied by corn
the previous year.
The special advantages Of poultry over all
other features of breeding is that it is within
the reach OF the poorest, and that the income
is steady and sure. No family is too poor to
own flock OF hens; and with good manage
ment they can be made to pay a large profit
besides supplying the family with eggs. Rightly
fed, they will purchase large per cent. Of tho
groceries for the family. Twenty hens will
yield better income than a good COW, and yet
they cost not one-third rs much.
Tho freight on a barrel of nice apples Is
no higher than on a barrel of culls. When they
reach market the barrel OF nice apples sells for
something very soon, while the barrel of culls
stands round until it looks worse and worse
than at first. Then it has TO be given away
almost il sale is possible, or dumped out q total
loss il sale is impoSsible. little one case there
is pretty sure TO be satisfactory price realized
over and above expenses; In the other, almost
with equal certainty, deficit to be made good
Can you or anyone else, then, afford to ship
poor goods to market3 iEe
A good disinfectaut Is made by dissolving
half a drachm of nitre or lead in pint of boil
ing water, then dissoSe t1b drachms OF COM
mon salt in eight or teilqustts of water. When
both are thoroughly dissolved, pour the two
mixtures together, and when the sediment has
settled you have pail Of clear fluid, which is
the saturated solution of the chloride of lead
A cloth saturated with the liquid and hung up
IN room will ut once ,sweeten fetid atmos-
phere. Poured down a sink, water-closet or
DRAIN or on any decaying or offensive object, it